


Lover Man, Oh, Where Can You Be

by Salmon_I



Category: Roswell New Mexico (TV 2019)
Genre: Alternate Universe, Alternate Universe - 1940s, Carhops, F/M, M/M, hint of Kyle/Liz
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-04-15
Updated: 2020-04-15
Packaged: 2021-03-02 01:35:37
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,115
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/23666992
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Salmon_I/pseuds/Salmon_I
Summary: “Take a gander and tell me you regret coming.”“I do regret coming.”“You didn’t look.”Alex sighed, glancing around the parking lot, and pausing when he saw that the carhops were all males, dressed in white shirts, tight shorts, and wearing cowboy boots.  Okay, there was something to be said for the aesthetic, he had to admit.  His eyes were drawn to one of the carhops specifically - toned body, a wild disarray of curls.  He’d even added a cowboy hat, which stood out among the others there.“Now do you regret it?”“I hate you.”  Alex told her.“I can tell.”  Liz was grinning.  “That’s Kyle over there by the blue Frazer.”Alex took a moment to glance at the other carhop.  He was also fit, and definitely good looking.  “He’s kinda short.”“Don’t be a crumb, Alex.”
Relationships: Michael Guerin/Alex Manes
Comments: 16
Kudos: 70
Collections: Time After Time: A Roswell New Mexico Alternate Era AU Event





	Lover Man, Oh, Where Can You Be

“A drive-in?” The look Alex gave her oozed sarcasm.

“Don’t judge me.” Liz told him. “The food is worth it.”

“The food at a drive-in is worth it?” Alex’s tone did not improve.

“Alright, so the food is terrible.” Liz confessed.

Alex reminded himself that Liz was one of his oldest friends, and the battlefield medic that had saved his life during the war, so there were legitimate reasons why he’d agreed to go to dinner with her. Even if he hadn’t felt much like going anywhere since returning to Roswell. "So why are we going to a terrible drive-in?”

“Because of their carhops.” Liz told him.

“Their carhops?” Alex gave her a suspicious look, as she pulled her car onto the next street. “So we’re cruising for guys?”

“No… yes. Maybe. One guy.” Liz finally settled on.

“Liz, any guy who’d turn you down would have to be an idiot. Besides, isn’t showing up with another guy going to make him less likely to think you’re available?”

“Our riveting conversation so far has centered around my dinner order, and medical school.”

“Your carhop that sends you is a fellow doctor? Does he just carhop in his off hours?”

“His father died during the war, his schooling was interrupted. He’s finishing his schooling now.”

“Who was his father? It’s a small town.” Alex was curious.

“Jim Valenti.”

“What?” Alex hissed, but Liz was already pulling into the parking lot.

“Take a gander and tell me you regret coming.”

“I do regret coming.”

“You didn’t look.”

Alex sighed, glancing around the parking lot, and pausing when he saw that the carhops were all males, dressed in white shirts, tight shorts, and wearing cowboy boots. Okay, there was something to be said for the aesthetic, he had to admit. His eyes were drawn to one of the carhops specifically - toned body, a wild disarray of curls. He’d even added a cowboy hat, which stood out among the others there.

“Now do you regret it?”

“I hate you.” Alex told her.

“I can tell.” Liz was grinning. “That’s Kyle over there by the blue Frazer.”

Alex took a moment to glance at the other carhop. He was also fit, and definitely good looking. “He’s kinda short.”

“Don’t be a crumb, Alex.”

“His mom is the Sheriff, you know.”

“So I won’t date his mom.” Liz rolled his eyes.

Alex decided not to go into why all the reasons dating Sheriff Valenti’s son was a bad idea. Liz would have already gone over all of them herself. She wouldn’t have asked him along if she hadn’t. “So what’s your brilliant plan?”

“Coming here until he notices me?”

“You’re a literal genius, and that’s the best you could come up with?”

“...Yes.”

“Can I take your order?” The drawling tone made them turn to where the curly-haired carhop had approached their car.

“Oh, we’re-”

“Absolutely ready to order.” Alex told him, ignoring the scowl Liz threw his way. She was the one who hadn’t thought this venture through properly. She could ogle the Sheriff’s son from afar for the night.

He really needed to figure out the guy’s name, he decided when he offered a knowing grin Alex’s way. He couldn’t call him “the curly-haired carhop” forever. “Great. My lucky night.” The words were drawled out again, and Alex swore he saw a hint of interest in his eyes. “What can I get you?”

“What do you recommend?”

“Honestly? Absolutely nothing. The food’s mediocre at best.”

Alex burst out laughing at that, and Liz even brightened up enough at the jest to grin. “I don’t suppose you sell many meals with that pitch.” Alex told him.

“You might be surprised.”

“The milkshakes are good.” Liz offered.

“There is that.” He nodded in agreement.

“Milkshakes it is then. One strawberry, one chocolate.” Alex ordered.

“Coming up.” He threw in a wink, before heading back to the building.

“Unbelievable.” Liz crossed her arms. “I come here to try to get a date, and you’re the one who gets made a pass at.”

“Nobody would be so obvious.”

“Don’t be sure - that’s Michael Guerin. Isobel Evans' cousin?”

The Evans were also a prominent family in Roswell, but the name Michael Guerin didn’t ring any bells. “And?”

“You’re hopeless. Maria gave us the whole dope on it. It was a huge scandal. She broke up with her fiance, moved out of her parents’ house and in with her long lost cousin? She owns this drive-in. Ringing any bells yet?”

“Pretty sure I tuned all this out.”

“This is why you need me to drag you out of your house every so often.”

“I thought it was so you could ogle Kyle Valenti while waiting for him to notice you waiting.”

“You’re a crumb.”

“You’re a chicken. Go chat the guy up already. He’s been staring at you for ten minutes straight.”

Liz glanced behind him, and the way she bit her lip told him she’d caught Kyle staring. “My hair look alright?”

“You’re a bombshell. Go get him already.”

“You’re the best. You know that right?”

“You owe me, you know that, right?” Alex teased. Liz shot him a grin before getting out of the car and heading over to where Kyle was waiting for another car to pull in.

“Where’d your date go?” Michael asked, reappearing with milkshakes and a set of fries Alex was pretty sure he hadn’t ordered.

“Not a date. Just an old friend.” Alex told him.

“Oh, she going fishing with Valenti, huh? Well, that won’t take long.” Michael glanced behind him, and Alex let himself take in the view of him up close again as he clipped the tray to hold their food on Liz’s side of the car. “Strawberry or Chocolate?”

“Chocolate.” Alex told him, and Michael leaned in through the window to hand him the drink. He nearly dropped it when he heard his next words.

“So sugar, are you rationed?” The drawl to his voice added a hint of a promise to the words.

“Say that to the wrong guy, you’ll get your ass kicked.” Alex told him. Nobody had been close enough to hear him, especially with him leaning in through the window, but it was still dangerous to be so blatant about it.

“Well, your eyes were glued to my ass since you pulled up, so I thought I was pretty safe.” Michael challenged him.

“Not always the truth.”

“I’d say it was worth the risk, but you haven’t answered my question yet.” The grin Michael gave him was less cocky now, and more uncertain but hopeful. 

“I’m single.” Alex told him.

The cocky grin came back, full force. “Don’t bet on that.”

**Author's Note:**

> This was written for two reasons, because of a picture I saw from a 1940s drive-in, and because I found out, “Hi Sugar, are you rationed?” was the slang for “Are you single?” and I had to use it. I had too much fun looking up and using unnecessary old slang for such a short fic. I have no regrets.


End file.
